Looking for WWI and Interwar rules suggestions

[Will Bailie]

While cleaning up I uncovered my 28mm WWI figures, an eclectic mix of early war French and Germans, late war Canadians/Brits, and various British/Imperial forces for Middle East/East Africa.  Now I am looking for some good rules to use with them!

I am looking for rules suitable for platoon or company sized actions, 30-50 figures (or fewer) per side, and fast play.  Ideally would be nice to use them for a variety of situations - early war 1914 before trench warfare, late war western front with trenches (trench raids, small actions), and free wheeling Middle East/East Africa/Back of Beyond games.  (This will allow me to play my ImagiNation colonial War of Independence games set in the fictional Indian Salute State of Jhamjar!).

I already have copies of TMWWBK, Chain of Command (including the WWI supplement from the Lard Annual).  I have lost my copy of WHW Great War, which is now sadly out of print.  I've played CLA in the past, and would consider trying it again.  I've enjoyed CoC for WWII games, but have found that it takes us 6 h to complete a game, so I'm looking for something that plays faster. 

thanks in advance!

[fred]

We have enjoyed the lardies’ If the Lord Spares us for WWI games - while written for Mesopotamia we have used it happily for France 1914, and there is a Western Front adaptation available. It’s core is card based activations, which includes extra chance to activate using commanders, and all units getting a chance to shoot at the end of the turn if they haven’t done anything.  But it is a larger scale than I think you are looking for.

But in the stable is Through the Mud and Blood - which is the platoon version - which shares a number of mechanisms. We’ve not played this, but I think it should give a good game like ITLSU

[Will Bailie]

Thansk, Fred.  I have a copy of ITSLU but haven't tried it.  I've had a go at Through the Mud and the Blood, but found that it also takes a long time to get through a game.  But the Iron Hearts and Stout Troopers supplement is an excellent resource, especially with the explanations of the development of WWI platoon-level tactics for the armies on the Western Front.

[fred]

We’ve happily got through games of ITLSU in an evening. Typically with 3-4 infantry battalions a side, with artillery and cavalry attachments.

It’s a while since we played CoC - but it did sometimes feel slower as more detailed. 

Is it the size of your games (i.e. number of units) that slows down the game, or something else?

[Will Bailie]

For CoC, we've played the recommended scenarios, so a platoon on each side plus supports.  There's certainly a tendency to go bigger where we can!  Although the one time I convinced my fellow gamers to try a smaller scenario we were able to finish it faster - that scenario was lifted from the SH&IT book, a British platoon assault on a German MG strongpoint.  We seem to spend a fair amount of time musing over options and then discussing in depth whether certain actions are permitted by the rules or how they would be implemented.  I don't know how much quicker our games would go if we brought in something like a chess clock approach.

[fred]

The chess clock approach really helps focus your time on the important bits - a good few years ago when Kings of War came out it used chess clocks for tournament games (and may well still do). I did some practice games to get the feel of how to play with a clock, and it does help you do the mechanical parts for the game much more quickly - leaving a bit more time to focus on tactics, but having to keep stuff moving.

If as a group you enjoy the discussions then great, but it sounds like they are rather taking over the game. I’d try the chess clock approach, see if it removes some of the analysis paralysis.

[zirrian]

Trench Hammer from Nordic Weasel seems to fit the bill.

[Will Bailie]

Trench Hammer from Nordic Weasel seems to fit the bill.

thanks, I will look into that one!

[Marthas Dad]

I think Setting the East Ablaze might suit you.

[Will Bailie]

I think Setting the East Ablaze might suit you.

Thanks!

[Hang Tuah]

Is Contemptible Little Armies no longer in vogue? Asking because I seem to recall it being the ruleset of choice when Copplestone first came out with the BoB range.

Also, does anyone have any experience of Crush the Kaiser? The people behind it held some astoundingly good display games at various shows, one of which featured a flooded Belgian town.

[SteveBurt]

For platoon level games “Through the Mud and the Blood” from TooFatLardies is very good.

[monk2002uk]

Crush the Kaiser is the next level up, focusing on regiment level games. A nice set of rules but I don't know about its current status.

Robert